The Riyadh Masters 2024 is now live at the heart of Saudi Arabia. The stakes are high for the 20 teams, comprising of both familiar faces and emerging underdogs to compete for $5 million and the bragging rights as Riyadh Masters 2024 Champions.
Esports World Cup 2024 (Image credit: Esports World Cup)
Who will win Riyadh Masters 2024?
Going into the championship, the odds are definitely in favor of Team Falcons.
The unrivalled powerhouse won most of the ESL Pro Tour’s tournaments, which include BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024, ESL One Birmingham 2024, and both DreamLeague S22 & S23. With so many achievements in their book, Team Falcons is hands down the most likely team to win Riyadh Masters 2024.
Teams going against all odds
Nevertheless, as we have witnessed countless comeback stories and upsets in Dota 2 history, there are teams that could give Falcons a run for their money.
1. Team Spirit
The two-time International Champion isn’t all talk in 2024. Fans who are still sleeping on Team Spirit have got to remember that once TI appears on the horizon, this team always steps it up.
Team Spirit at TI12 (Image credit: The International 2023)
Earlier this season, we covered how Spirit can’t seem to regain their former glory as champions. But with their recent improvements, it’s clear that captain Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov is doing something right about his team. Additionally, Team Spirit is also the defending champions of last year’s Riyadh Masters, so they have more at stake than just prize pool winnings.
2. Gaimin Gladiators
Moving on to the second rival on the list, Gaimin Gladiators is a team that has taken lots of flack from fans for their fall from grace. From being a three-time Major Champion and TI12 grand finalist to struggling for relevancy in EPT all season. Yet, we still held them in high regards just because they showed signs of life at DreamLeague S23. Gaimin managed to make it to the grand finals, only to be brutally beat down by none other than Falcons.
Quinn “Quinn” Callahan (Image credit: ESL One Berlin 2023)
Regardless, it’s a testament to how Gaimin has regained their form, just in time for Riyadh Masters 2024.
3. WBG.XG
Better known as Xtreme Gaming, the Chinese powerhouse is the only team from its region to give Falcons a struggle in tournaments. Notably, they defeated prime Falcons at Elite League 2024, which is extraordinary.
Xtreme’s victory is no fluke, as Wang “Ame” Chunyu and his team have been performing consistently throughout the season, often placing runner-up finishes. Arguably, if consistency alone is the only factor on this list, Xtreme Gaming might just fare better than the other two rivals.
Wang “Ame” Chunyu (Image credit: ESL One Birmingham 2024)
Honorable Mentions
Team Falcons will surely be anticipating these three as their toughest opponents at Riyadh Masters 2024. However, there are several honorable mentions that are worthwhile, given the right circumstances.
The stacked line-up of Tundra Esports is one good example, featuring Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen amongst several other equally reputable prodigies.
Not including BetBoom Team among the top three teams to rival Falcons will definitely be a controversial debate despite placing second on the EPT Leaderboard. However, their downhill performance at PGL Wallachia S1 raised concerns over their performance. Coupled with their drama and frequent penalties, it’s difficult to side BetBoom as a dominant team going into Riyadh Masters.
Lastly, Team Liquid has largely gone under the radar, overwhelmed by the other powerhouses’ glory. Even so, Team Liquid has been consistently relevant at every EPT event for them to also earn a direct invite to Riyadh Masters 2024.
With a multi-million dollar prize pool at stake, the Riyadh Masters 2024 is essentially a TI-level championship that deserves every team’s best. Expect the most unsuspecting teams to pull off a miracle run when the top dogs least expect.
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